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Land Speeder Typhoon
Chapter opening fire upon the foe]] The Land Speeder Typhoon is a variant of the standard Land Speeder used by the Adeptus Astartes as a fast attack and reconnaissance vehicle. The Land Speeder Typhoon, like the Land Speeder Tornado variant of the Land Speeder, differs from the standard Land Speeder only in terms of weaponry. The Land Speeder Typhoon is equipped with twin-linked Missile Launchers, known as Typhoon Missile Launchers, one on each side of the craft. The vehicle's Missile Launchers are capable of carrying up to 12 missiles of various types, such as Krak or Frag Missiles. A Land Speeder Typhoon loaded with Krak Missiles makes for a very powerful anti-armour weapon, as it is able to attack enemy armoured vehicles and retreat before the foe has time to retaliate. The Land Speeder Typhoon is usually deployed in conjunction with a Land Speeder Tornado, as the Tornado's powerful anti-infantry weaponry eliminates enemy infantry while the Typhoon freely engages enemy armour. History Space Marine Chapter]] The origins of the standard Land Speeder and its Tornado variant date back to the first century of the Great Crusade in the 30th Millennium, when Techno-Archaeologist Arkhan Land led several expeditions into the uncharted and extremely dangerous depths of the Librarius Omnis on Mars. During these expeditions, Land rediscovered the Standard Template Construct (STC) designs for two heavy tracked vehicles. The first was the mighty battle tank which would later be known as the Land Raider, and the second was the humble utility vehicle called the Land Crawler. Land also discovered information regarding powerful and compact plates capable of emitting an anti-gravitic field and Land later developed theories on their uses. Unfortunately, years before the first Land Speeder was built, Arkhan Land and his entire expeditionary force were wiped-out by an unknown, yet extremely powerful psychic entity while conducting yet another expedition into the Librarius Omnis. All three of the designs he found were ultimately named after him. Some time after his death, the anti-gravitic plate technology he had discovered was used in the construction of the Land Speeder. The Land Speeder was issued to the Space Marine Legions and to the Imperial Army as a light vehicle intended for scouting and lightning-fast assaults. During the Horus Heresy the Land Speeder was used on both sides of the conflict, yet due to the difficulty and expense of maintaining them they are no longer used by the Traitor Legions. After the Horus Heresy, and the reformation of the Imperial Army into the Imperial Navy and the Imperial Guard, the Land Speeder was no longer issued to non-Astartes soldiers, as their technology has become far too precious and complex to be risked in the hands of Imperial troops who are not the elite of Mankind. The original Land Speeder had several different patterns, several of which were slower than others. These early designs were dropped from use completely as they had only been used by the mortal soldiers of the Imperial Army. The Land Speeder patterns used by the Astartes are far too fast and difficult to control for non-enhanced human reflexes. Armament Chapter]] The Land Speeder Typhoon is able to fulfill the same scouting and reconnaissance role as the standard Land Speeder, yet with the added firepower of its additional weapons. The standard Land Speeder Typhoon is armed with a single pintle-mounted Heavy Bolter that is operated by the vehicle's gunner and a set of twin-linked Missile Launchers, known as Typhoon Missile Launchers, that are mounted on the vehicle's sides, behind the cockpit, which are controlled by the vehicle's driver. The vehicle's Heavy Bolter can be switched out for a Multi-Melta to give the Land Speeder Typhoon enhanced anti-armour firepower and the Typhoon Missile Launchers can be loaded with either anti-infantry Frag Missiles or anti-armour Krak Missiles, providing the vehicle with enhanced tactical flexibility. The vehicle's Typhoon Missile Launchers can also be loaded with Flakk Missiles to allow it to engage enemy aircraft, yet this is an uncommon practice. During the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy there were several different variations of the standard Land Speeder, some of which included hull-mounted cannons and different pintle-mounted weapons, but these variants have long since disappeared from most, if not all, Imperial armouries. Unlike many other Imperial vehicles, the Land Speeder and its variants have no upgrades or attachments that can be equipped. Unit Composition *'1-3 Land Speeder Typhoons' Wargear A standard Land Speeder Typhoon is armed and equipped with: *'Pintle-mounted Heavy Bolter' *'Typhoon Missile Launcher' A Land Speeder Typhoon may replace its pintle-mounted Heavy Bolter with one of the following pintle-mounted weapons: *'Heavy Flamer' *'Multi-Melta' A Land Speeder Typhoon's Typhoon Missile Launcher may be armed with the following missiles: *'Frag Missiles' *'Krak Missiles' Formations *'Ravenwing Attack Squadron' - The Ravenwing Attack Squadron consists of one Ravenwing Assault Bike Squadron or one Ravenwing Attack Bike Squadron and one Ravenwing Land Speeder Squadron or a single Land Speeder Vengeance. Dust clouds billow behind the Ravenwing Attack Squadron as it hurtles into battle. Striking swiftly, the 2nd Company huntsmen drive hard into the midst of the enemy, many foes falling before they even realise their danger. With massed firepower, the Attack Squadron mow their victims down in huge numbers. They plough a bloody furrow through the heart of battle, bursting from the foe's rear ranks before wheeling about and diving back into the fray once more. It is these high-speed attacks for which the Ravenwing are rightly feared, yet this is not the only trick they have to play. Should some vital quarry be sighted, or a mighty enemy strongpoint need to be purged, the hunters activate their Teleport Homers and -- amid a crackling storm of light -- summon the merciless warriors of the Deathwing to join the fight. *'Ravenwing Support Squadron' - The Ravenwing Support Squadron consists of a Ravenwing Land Speeder Squadron and a single Ravenwing Land Speeder Vengeance or Ravenwing Darkshroud. If the Attack Squadrons are the sword of the Ravenwing, then the Support Squadrons are their shield. Skimming fast and low over the field of battle, the Land Speeders of the Support Squadrons scan constantly for anything that might threaten the mission. Where heavily armoured war engines or entrenched artillery attempt to devastate the Ravenwing formations, the Support Squadrons swoop low overhead, missiles and plasma blasts reducing the weapons of the foe to blazing scrap. Where infantry mass in sufficient quantities to swamp the huntsmen of the 2nd Company, the Support Squadron's Land Speeders pass back and forth, raking the enemy with bullets, bolts and fiery blasts. In this way, the Support Squadrons combine their strength with their land-bound brothers to crush the foe completely. Known Users of the Land Speeder Typhoon *'Dark Angels' - The Dark Angels Space Marine Chapter makes heavy use of both Land Speeders and Land Speeder Typhoons in their 2nd Company, the Ravenwing. The Dark Angels deployed several Land Speeder Typhoons during the Siege of Vraks against the Forces of Chaos. The Dark Angels also made use of these vehicles during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy against the Traitor Legions. *'Raven Guard' - The Raven Guard make use of the Land Speeder and its variants, especially the Land Speeder Tornado and Typhoon, during their many campaigns. The Raven Guard enjoy the vehicle's lightning fast speed and high maneuverability as it fits perfectly with their combat doctrine's emphasis on highly mobile warfare. The Raven Guard deployed several Land Speeder Typhoons and other Land Speeder variants during the Imperial raid on the Ork-held planet of Kastorel-Novem. The Raven Guard also used these vehicles during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy against the Traitor Legions. *'Red Scorpions' - The Red Scorpions Space Marine Chapter, along with many other Chapters, used Land Speeders and Land Speeder Typhoons during the Badab War against the Secessionist forces of the Tyrant of Badab, Lufgt Huron. *'Lamenters' - The Lamenters Space Marine Chapter, along with the other Secessionist Chapters, used Land Speeders of all types during the Badab War against the Imperium. *'Blood Ravens' - The Blood Ravens Space Marine Chapter made use of the Land Speeder and its more common variants during the Dark Crusade and the Kaurava Campaign. *'Ultramarines' - The Ultramarines Space Marine Chapter makes extensive use of the Land Speeder and all of its variants, and the Ultramarines have used these vehicles since the time of the Great Crusade. *'White Scars' - The White Scars make extensive use of the Land Speeder and all of its variants as their speed and maneuverability fit perfectly with their combat doctrine's emphasis on mobile warfare. The White Scars have made use of Land Speeders since the early days of the Great Crusade. *'Space Wolves' *'Blood Angels' Adeptus Mechanicus Technical Specifications See Also *'Imperial Vehicles' Sources *''Imperial Armour Volume Two - Space Marines and Forces of the Inquisition'', pp. 117-124 *''Imperial Armour Volume Eight - Raid on Kastorel-Novem'', pp. 60 *''Imperial Armour Volume Nine - The Badab War - Part One'', p. 109 *''Imperial Armour Volume Ten - The Badab War - Part Two'', pp. 155-157 *''Codex: Dark Angels'' (4th Edition), pp. 26-27, 66 *''Codex: Blood Angels'' (5th Edition), p. 33 *''Codex: Space Wolves'' (5th Edition), p. 46 *''Codex: Space Marines'' (5th Edition), p. 74 *''Codex: Space Marines'' (6th Edition), pp. 95, 173 *''Codex Adeptus Astartes - Space Marines'' (7th Edition) (Digital Edition), "Land Speeders," "Datasheet - Land Speeders" *''Codex Adeptus Astartes - Space Marines'' (8th Edition), pp. 74, 170 *''Codex: Dark Angels'' (6th Edition), pp. 4, 48, 84 *''Codex Adeptus Astartes - Dark Angels'' (7th Edition) (Digital Edition), "Ravenwing Land Speeders", "Ravenwing", "Ravenwing Land Speeders (Datasheet)","Ravenwing Support Squadron (Formation)" *''Codex Adeptus Astartes - Dark Angels'' (8th Edition), pp. 45, 111 Gallery LandSpeederTyphoon00.png|A Land Speeder Typhoon of the Ultramarines Chapter, 8th Company, which was part of Strike Force Idaeus assigned to Explorator Force Delpha protection duty LandSpeederTyphoon02.png|A Land Speeder Typhoon of the Raven Guard Chapter, first vehicle of the Chapter Armoury, which fought against the Orks of Kastorel-Novem LandSpeederTyphoon04.png|A Land Speeder Typhoon of the Lamenters Space Marine Chapter, part of the Chapter's 10th Scout Company, which was destroyed on the planet Kyro during the Badab War Category:L Category:Imperium Category:Imperial Vehicles Category:Space Marines Category:Space Marine Vehicles Category:Vehicles